Synopsis
Includes:
The Cosby Show: Call of the Wild (1987)
The Cosby Show: Autumn Gifts (1987)
The Cosby Show: Where's Rudy? (1987)
The Cosby Show: Looking Back, Part 1 (1987)
The Cosby Show: The Show Must Go On (1987)
The Cosby Show: The Locker Room (1987)
The Cosby Show: Dance Mania (1987)
The Cosby Show: Looking Back, Part 2 (1987)
The Cosby Show: That's Not What I Said (1987)
The Cosby Show: Shakespeare (1987)
The Cosby Show: Cliff's Mistake (1987)
The Cosby Show: It's Not Easy Being Green (1987)
The Cosby Show: Theogate (1987)
The Cosby Show: Petanque (1988)
The Cosby Show: Gone Fishin' (1988)
The Cosby Show: Once Upon a Time (1988)
The Cosby Show: Waterworks (1988)
The Cosby Show: The Drum Major (1988)
The Cosby Show: The Visit (1988)
The Cosby Show: Home for the Weekend (1988)
The Cosby Show: The Prom (1988)
The Cosby Show: Bookworm (1988)
The Cosby Show: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (1988)
The Cosby Show: Trust Me (1988)
The Cosby Show: Call of the Wild
Season Four of The Cosby Show begins as the eldest Huxtable daughter Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf) and her new husband Elvin (Geoffrey Owens, now afforded costar billing) return from their honeymoon. A pall is cast upon what should have been a joyous occasion when Elvin announces that he isn't going to attend medical school, but instead intends to open a camping-goods store. Sondra's dad Cliff (Bill Cosby) goes ballistic, whereupon his wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad) tells him to calm down--only to "lose it" herself when Sondra reveals that she's forsaking law school to help Elvin at the store. This episode originally aired the same night as the debut of the spinoff series A Different World, which starred former Cosby Show regular Lisa Bonet (Denise Huxtable). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Autumn Gifts
Eileen Heckart guests stars as the Huxtables' elderly and somewhat bull-headed neighbor Mrs. Hickson. While sharing tea with the lady, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) discovers that Mrs. Hickson has been neglecting to take her diabetes medication--and in fact has gone to extreme lengths to hide her negligence from her son. Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Russell (Earle Hyman) drop in on the lady to give her a friendly warning, but she turns out to be too clever for them and continues to avoid taking her pills. Finally, the Huxtable put on a series of cautionary skits to teach Mrs. Hickson the folly of her ways...they hope! This episode was originally slated to air on October 15, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Where's Rudy?
Cliff (Bill Cosby) forces the kids to come along with him to the local mall, where Clair (Phylicia Rashad) has entered a squash-growing competition. Though Cliff insists that the youngsters stay with him, Clair allows them to roam throughout the mall, provided that they look after youngest daughter Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam). The usual complications ensue, and Rudy wanders off alone, ending up in the sushi bar owned by the father of her friend Kim (Naoka Nakagawa)--while Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) go into full panic mode. Louis Nye guest stars as an extremely weird "squash man". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Looking Back, Part 1
In the first half of a two-part episode (originally telecast as a single hour-long special), Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) retreats to the Huxtable household after an argument with his wife Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf). In their efforts to patch things up, Sondra's parents Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) recall how far Elvin has progressed since his "male-chauvinist" days. This leads to a steady stream of highlights from previous Cosby Showepisodes, including Rudy's "goldfish funeral", Theo's experience with the "Real World Apartments", and a montage of Denise's former boyfriends--and Cliff's curmudgeonly reactions to them. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: The Show Must Go On
Cliff (Bill Cosby) takes his daughter Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and two of her friends to a vaudeville tribute featuring such vintage performers as "The Great Ballantine" (Carl Ballantine, reprising the comedy magic act which regaled decades of The Ed Sullivan Show) fans. Unfortunately, the kids are bored stiff by the sparsely attended show--until emcee Eddie Bartholomew (played by master mime Bill Irwin) goes into his eye-popping routine. Elsewhere, Vanessa's former boyfriend Robert (Dondre T. Whitfield) scares off yet another prospective date by impulsively proposing marriage. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: The Locker Room
Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) is upset when his sister Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) accepts a date from his friend Lyle (Dennis Singletary), who has a habit of boasting about his "conquests" in the school locker room. Sure enough, the next day Lyle is claiming that he has "scored" with Vanessa, and Theo is outraged. It not only turns out that Lyle is full of hot air, but it is also revealed that Theo is far more concerned about his own reputation than Vanessa's! Elsewhere, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) performs a magic trick which baffles her dad Cliff (Bill Cosby). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Dance Mania
Thanks to his mom Clair's connections, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) manages to get hold of two tickets to the next taping of his favorite TV music show "Dance Mania", and takes his pal Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II in his final series appearance) along as guest. Unfortunately, only one of the boys is allowed on the dance floor due to the fire code, so Theo gallantly lets Cockroach take his place--never dreaming that Cockroach would actually accept! The result: Cockroach becomes a classroom celebrity, and Theo goes ballistic! Watch for a young Adam Sandler, making the first of several appearances as high-schooler Smitty. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Looking Back, Part 2
In the conclusion of a two-part episode (originally telecast as a single hour-long special), the Huxtables continue in their efforts to patch up the differences between daughter Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf) and her husband Elvin (Geoffrey Owens). Sondra's sister Vanessa shows up to offer moral support, and to recall previous events in the Huxtable household, courtesy of excerpts from earlier episodes. Ultimately, the main focus is on the marriage of Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair (Phylicia Rashad), which has managed to weather many a domestic storm over the past 23 years. Former regular Lisa Bonet (Denise Huxtable) is billed as "guest star", though she appears only via filmclips. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: That's Not What I Said
Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) head to the police station to pick up Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), who was a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding by the cops. Though Theo isn't in trouble with the law, he's in plenty of hot water with his parents because he'd been grounded and was not supposed to be out of the house. Somehow or other, Cliff and Clair's anger turns upon each other, resulting in a vociferous verbal battle in which Theo is completely forgotten! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Shakespeare
Assigned to read Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", Theo (Malcolm Jamal-Warner) and Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II) cannot make heads nor tails of the text. All this changes when the Huxtable's house guest Dr. Barnabus Foster (Roscoe Lee Browne) teams up with the family's professor friend Jonathan Lawrence (Christopher Plummer) to deliver an impromptu--and very lively--Shakespeare reading. In other developments, Denise (Lisa Bonet) has distubing news for her parents; and Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) is mad that she has been chosen as the model for the witch in a fairy tale written by Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam. This episode was originally taped for the series' third season (former regular Lisa Bonet is afforded "guest star" billing).
~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Cliff's Mistake
Cliff (Bill Cosby) incurs the wrath of his next door neighbor Jeffrey Engels (Wallace Shawn) when he can't find a power drill that he has borrowed. Unable to understand why Engels has overreacted, Cliff must be reminded by Clair (Phylicia Rashad) that he himself has behaved the same way (even worse, in fact) in similar circumstances. Ultimately, Cliff resolves the situation by using the time-honored process of elimination. Meanwhile, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Kenny (Deon Richmond) put together a "haunted house" for Halloween. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: It's Not Easy Being Green
Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) wants to wear a thin green summer dress to her friend's party, but Clair (Phylicia Rashad) says no. Now Rudy is upset that she's not allowed to choose her own clothes like her siblings, forcing Cliff (Bill Cosby)--despite his current problems with the city sanitation department--to take a hand in matters. Elsewhere, Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) tries to help her former boyfriend Robert (Dondre T. Whitfield) with his social life, and to persuade him not to propose marriage to every girl he meets! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Theogate
When Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II) show up late from school and nearly cause the family to miss Vanessa's production of "South Pacific", Cliff (Bill Cosby) demands an explanation. Theo insists that he was tardy because of his cross-country coach's bizarre behavior at the Circus Burger restaurant. But a later phone call from the school principal suggests that Theo isn't telling the whole truth, whereupon Clair (Phylicia Rashad) holds a mock trial in the "First District Court of Brooklyn" (actually the Huxtable's living room) to determine what really happened--and, ultimately, to mete out a suitable punishment! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Petanque
The Huxtables and their friends the Harmons turn an ordinary dinner party into a cutthroat game of "Petanque" (an upscale form of bocci-ball) , to prove which couple is the toughest. Though Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) and Nicole Harmon (Michelle Shay) try to remain aloof, their husbands Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Jim (Sullivan Walker) insist upon such manly-man pursuits as playing the game outside in freezing weather--without their coats. Meanwhile, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) risks life and limb to prove to the Harmons' daughter Lindy (Laurie Morrison) that he is a rock-climbing aficionado. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Gone Fishin'
On a fishing trip with Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Russell (Earle Hyman), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) lands the "catch" of a lifetime when he reels in the body of a murdered gangster! In the ensuing media blitz, Theo basks in his new-found celebrity, even though the press insists upon misquoting and misrepresenting him. But our hero soon learns that fame can be fickle when he is upstaged by his own sister Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam)...and a nest of abandoned baby birds. This is the final episode of The Cosby Show's fourth season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Once Upon a Time
In a rare pure-fantasy episode, the cast members of The Cosby Show appear in a visualization of a an antiwar fairy tale penned by youngest Huxtable daughter Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam). The story is set in Happyland, where the peace and wellbeing of the Happy People is threatened by the invasion of the Nasty People, headed by the Duke of Doom--played by Rudy's taciturn school chum Peter Chiara (Peter Costa). Others in the ensemble included Rudy herself as the flower-girl heroine, Cliff (Bill Cosby) as the Royal Man-at-Arms, Clair (Phylicia Rashad) as Happyland's song leader, Vanessa (Lisa Bonet) as the Wizard, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) as the Town Crier, Grandpa Russell (Earle Hyman) as the Mayor, Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf and Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) as Farmers, and Kenny (Deon Richmond) as the King--all dressed in costumes that look as if a child actually designed them! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Waterworks
The family braces itself for a deluge of Biblical proportions when Cliff (Bill Cosby) volunteers to fix a leaky pipe in the bathroom. Ultimately, however, he acquiesces to a crew of young plumbers comprised of Sondra's college friends. Intrigued that these high achievers would take on a "blue collar" profession, Cliff peppers head plumber Jennifer (Erica Gimpel of Profiler and Veronica Mars fame) with annoying questions. Elsewhere, Rudy (Keshia Kinght Pulliam) is driving Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) crazier than usual. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: The Drum Major
Aspiring to become her school's first male drum major, Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) is thwarted by the "good ol' boy" chauvinism of the student jury. Exerting pressure on his friends, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) forces the jury to hold another audition, but doesn't let Vanessa know what has happened--while she assumes that the new audition is being conducted solely because of her "dazzling" talent! Meanwhile, Grandpa Russell (Earle Hyman) has a lot of trouble repaying a long-standing debt to his old musician pal Slim Claxton (Dub Taylor), who stubbornly refuses to accept the money. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: The Visit
An uncomfortable Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) tries to avoid visiting his friend Jake (Christopher Collet), who is hospitalized with cancer. Finally, Theo works up the courage to drop in on Jake, who uses humor and good cheer to make things easier for his friend--even though he himself isn't quite as confident about his future as he seems to be. Elsewhere, Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) drops in on the Huxtables and immediately gets into trouble by doing a spot-on impersonation of Cliff (Bill Cosby). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Home for the Weekend
The Huxtables are both hurt and insulted when college student Denise (Lisa Bonet) would rather spend her weekend home with her friends than her family. Further alienating Denise from parents and siblings is her habit of being out of the house just when her presence is needed the most , to say nothing of her "buttinsky" attitude towards Theo's social life. But the limit comes when Denise insists upon watching an R-rated comedy video in the Huxtable living room. Ultimately, the family finds a creative way to get even with the insensitive Denise. Watch for an early appearance by Saturday Night Live "news anchor" Colin Quinn. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: The Prom
Hoping to impress their prom dates--and to one-up their friend who has rented a limo for the occasion--Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Denny (Troy Winbush) and Smitty (Adam Sandler) pool their resources and engage the services of a helicopter! Alas, the "big night" flight proves to be a disaster; in fact, the boys and their dates don't even make it to the prom. In his efforts to help his son save face--and to make up for not escorting his wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad) to HIS prom way back when--Cliff (Bill Cosby) ends up hosting an impromptu dance party in the Huxtable living room. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Bookworm
For the first time ever, Clair's all-female literary discussion club invites some men to attend. The only one who shows up is Cliff (Bill Cosby), whereupon Clair (Phylicia Rashad) worries that her husband will embarrass himself by exhibiting his ignorance of the book being discussed--but she's in for a big surprise. Meanwhile, the kids spend an eventful night in the shabby apartment of newlyweds Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf) and Elvin (Geoffrey Owens). Featured among the book-club ladies are future stars Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Singer Melba Moore guest stars as Rudy's schoolteacher Mrs. Abbott. When her parents get a letter from her teacher, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) fears the worst. Actually, Mrs. Abbott is quite pleased with Rudy's classroom performance, except for the fact that the girl refuses to play the violin in music class. Accordingly, Cliff (Bill Cosby) invites classmates Kenny (Deon Richmond) and Kim (Naoka Nakagawa) to the house to rehearse with Rudy, despite Kenny's fears that the girls will clash--as in "clash of cymbals!" ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Cosby Show: Trust Me
After Cliff (Bill Cosby) spends 22 straight hours working at the hospital, Clair (Phylicia Rashad) goes to great lengths to afford him complete peace and quiet at home--and even lets him stray from his diet. Clair's efforts to keep her husband happy are compromised when she is pressed into service as mediator between her celebrity-reporter friend Diane (Meg Foster) and Diane's jealous husband Richard (Joel Fabiani). Also cutting into Cliff's R-and-R is the riddle contest being conducted by Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
